A Promotion Application of SS-Obersturmbannführer; Signed by SS-Gruppenführer Kaltenbrunner; Measuring 210x290mm, near extremely fine condition with light creasing, two double-punched holes, and a small piece missing on the top left. The document is a promotion suggestion sent to the Chief of the SS main personnel department, Walter Schmitt (1879–1945), on July 20, 1939. The sender is the Leader of the SS sector Danube, SS-Gruppenführer Ernst Kaltenbrunner. He suggests a promotion to SS-Obersturmbannführer for Police Lieutenant Colonel Walter Griphan, as well as appointing him leader of the Cadre Detachment Danube District 11. Kaltenbrunner signed the document in blue ink.
Footnote 1: Ernst Kaltenbrunner was born on October 4, 1903 in Ried, Austria. He was a childhood friend of Adolf Eichmann. Kaltenbrunner joined the NSDAP in October 1930 and the SS in August 1931, which is remarkable seeing that he was still living and working in Austria at the time. He continued to work for both party and SS after they had been outlawed in Austria in 1933 and spent several months in prison for this. After the Anschluss Kaltenbrunner was appointed Higher SS and Police Leader Danube, meaning he was in charge of all police and SS units in Austria. In early 1943 he became head of the Gestapo, the Sicherheitspolizei (Security Police) and the Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service) as Chief of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Main Security Office), followed by promotions to SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Police in June. In late 1944 he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords. Among his other decorations were the Golden Party Badge, the Blood Order, and the German Cross in Silver. Kaltenbrunner and his office were deeply involved in the the concentration camp operations and the so-called “Final Solution”, the Holocaust. Because of this Kaltenbrunner was put on trial in Nuremberg after the war. He was found guilty and executed by hanging on October 16, 1946.
Footnote 2: Walter Griphan was born on July 2, 1891. He was a volunteer in the First War, ending it in the rank of Lieutenant. After the war he became a police officer and went on to serve as Chief of Staff of the Command of the Security Police in Vienna, and later in Hamburg. His final position, starting in 1943, was that of Commander-in-Chief of the Police in the Bavaria North district. He committed suicide in Dachau as a P.O.W. on March 3, 1947.